DOC staff face intimidation
Department of Conservation staff have resorted to wearing body cameras and working in pairs as they deal with increasing levels of intimidation while on the job.
Andy Roberts, DOC’s operations director for the Eastern South Island region, said 2018 had been the ‘‘worst season ever’’ for staff intimidation, with a number of issues rearing their head.
Roberts’ comments were in his monthly update to the Canterbury Aoraki Conservation Board (CACB) and state that, in particular, there had been a lot of controversy over issues such as the state of the whitebait fishery, the proposed tahr cull and the use of 1080 poison.
‘‘The police were involved in several cases and staff started wearing body cameras.
‘‘Staff no longer patrol on their own.’’
Last year, DOC copped flak from many people in the hunting community over its proposed attempts to get the himalayan tahr population, estimated at 35,000, down to the management plan’s target of 10,000 on conservation land.
The major tahr control programmes are currently on hold following a fatal helicopter crash at Wanaka on the day the cull was to begin.
Shortly before the whitebait season began, the CACB sent a letter to the ministers of conservation, environment and fisheries, expressing its concern about the status of whitebait inanga in New Zealand, warning that three of the five species of whitebait could be wiped out within the next 15 years.
Roberts said DOC rangers requested police assistance on two occasions last season after receiving verbal abuse while carrying out whitebaiting patrols.
In one case a man became agitated and abusive to rangers and nearby fishermen while being spoken to about a potential breach of the whitebait regulations.
‘‘After refusing to answer questions he drove off and the rangers reported the incident to police.
‘‘DOC’s Mahaanui district rangers briefly trialled body cameras towards the end of the season.
‘‘Other organisations reported these cameras have have reduced the number of confrontational encounters with the public while undertaking compliance,’’ Roberts said.
He acknowledged there had been ‘‘some tensions’’ over the past few months.
‘‘Certainly the level of questioning of DOC workers has increased,’’ he told Stuff.
‘‘Generally our interactions with the public are fine, but the best approach is always to sit down with the public and talk over the issues.
‘‘The majority of fishers abide by the whitebait regulations and are very supportive of DOC’s work. We really value the positive assistance we get from fishers and the public such as calls letting us know about potential breaches of the regulations,’’ Roberts said.
‘‘Certainly the level of questioning of DOC workers has increased.’’ Andy Roberts, DOC area manager